Greece’s left-wing, anti-austerity Syriza party has formed a coalition with the right-wing Independent Greeks party after exit polls showed Syriza was close to a parliamentary majority.
Syriza is officially projected to win at least 149 seats in the 300-seat Parliament.
The party’s firebrand leader, Alexis Tsipras, has vowed to end austerity measures and renegotiate the terms of Greece’s European Union bailout.
The Independent Greeks leader, Panos Kammenos, made a televised announcement after meeting Monday with Tsipras.
“I want to announce that as of this moment, there is a government in this country. Independent Greeks are giving a confidence vote to the Prime Minister, Mr. Alexis Tsipras,” Kammenos said.
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In his victory speech Sunday, Tsipras noted that Greece’s election could have an impact far beyond his country’s borders.
“Our victory is, at the same time, it’s a victory for all the people of Europe that are fighting against austerity that’s ruining the common European future,” he said.
His message is one that has resonated in other southern European countries under the restrictions of international bailouts.
Syriza’s victory could boost other populist parties, such as Beppe Grillo’s anti-euro Five Star Movement in Italy and the Podemos Movement in Spain.
But it’s unclear how its plans to renegotiate the bailout would play out.
